Abstract:

The aim of this study was to determine the level of motivation of black and the white apprentices in the specific enterprise, and whether they experience their working environment as optimally motivating and adequate. At the same time, the extent to which their patterns of motivation agree or differ as well as the extent to which the t groups are spurred on to better work performance by extrinsic and intrinsic motivators was investigated. To this end, the literature on the different content and process theories was scrutinised, after which a controlled field experiment was carried out. The literature survey showed clearly that Porter and Lawler's expectation model would be eminently suitable for the empirical research of this study. A measuring instrument was developed from this model and applied to the full target population. The results of the study lead to the following conclusions: (1) Neither the white nor the black apprentices experience their work environment as optimally motivating. (2) No significant difference exists between white and black apprentices as regards motivation inclination. (3) No significant difference exists between white and black apprentices as regards the value attached to extrinsic and intrinsic reward. (4) Significant differences exist between white and black apprentices as regards the satisfaction of job-related extrinsic needs, although the effective extent was only medium range. (5) Significant differences exist between white and black apprentices as regards the satisfaction of job-related intrinsic needs, although the effective extent was only medium range. Overall, there seem to be no substantive differences between black and white apprentices as regards their motivation inclination and needs patterns or the degree to which they are spurred on by intrinsic or extrinsic motivators.